Best enterprise security solutions 2024 reviewed by AV-Comparatives

AV-Comparatives, a globally recognised independent organisation specialising in cybersecurity testing, is pleased to announce the results of its 2024 Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) Test for enterprise cybersecurity solutions.

This comprehensive evaluation provides Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) with critical insights into the efficacy of leading endpoint protection products against sophisticated, targeted cyber threats.

ATP Test

The ATP Test rigorously assesses each product's ability to defend against advanced persistent threats (APTs), which are complex, multi-stage attacks aimed at specific organisations.

By simulating real-world attack scenarios, the test offers an objective measure of how well security solutions can prevent breaches that could lead to significant financial and reputational damage.

2024 evaluation products

The 2024 evaluation included the following enterprise security products:

• Avast Ultimate Business Security 24.8
• Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security Premium 7.9
• CrowdStrike Falcon Pro 7.16
• ESET PROTECT Entry with ESET PROTECT Cloud 11.1
• Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business – Select, KSC 12.6
• NetSecurity ThreatResponder 3.5

ATP Enterprise Certification

All products achieved ATP Enterprise Certification, underscoring their effectiveness

Each of these solutions demonstrated robust protection capabilities, successfully blocking a significant number of advanced attacks.

Notably, all six products achieved AV-Comparatives' prestigious ATP Enterprise Certification, underscoring their effectiveness in safeguarding enterprise environments against sophisticated threats.

Clear comparison

For CISOs and decision-makers, these results serve as a valuable resource for selecting security solutions that align with their organisation's specific needs.

The detailed findings offer a clear comparison of each product's strengths, facilitating informed decisions to enhance organisational cybersecurity postures. AV-Comparatives remains committed to providing transparent, scientifically rigorous evaluations of cybersecurity products. By delivering unbiased assessments, we empower organisations to make informed choices in an ever-evolving threat landscape.

Methodology

AV-Comparatives used five different Initial Access Phases, distributed among the 15 test cases, mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK Matrix (c)

• Trusted Relationship: "Adversaries may breach or otherwise leverage organizations who have access to intended victims. Access through trusted third-party relationship exploits an existing connection that may not be protected or receives less scrutiny than standard mechanisms of gaining access to a network."
• Valid accounts: "Adversaries may steal the credentials of a specific user or service account using Credential Access techniques or capture credentials earlier in their reconnaissance process through social engineering […]."
• Replication Through Removable Media: "Adversaries may move onto systems […] by copying malware to removable media […] and renaming it to look like a legitimate file to trick users into executing it on a separate system. […]"
• Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment: "Spearphishing attachment is […] employs the use of malware attached to an email. […]"
• Phishing: Spearphishing Link: "Spearphishing with a link […] employs the use of links to download malware contained in email […]."

Business Security Test August-September 2024 – Factsheet

Read also the latest Business Security Factsheet for August-September 2024, containing the results of the Business Malware Protection Test (September) and Business Real-World Protection Test (August-September).

The full report, including the Performance Test and product reviews, will be released in December.

Tested Products:

• Avast Ultimate Business Security
• Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security Premium
• CISCO Secure Endpoint Essentials
• CrowdStrike Falcon Pro
• Elastic Security
• ESET PROTECT Entry with ESET PROTECT Cloud
• G Data Endpoint Protection Business
• K7 On-Premises Enterprise Security Advanced
• Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business – Select, KSC
• Microsoft Defender Antivirus with Microsoft Endpoint Manager
• NetSecurity ThreatResponder
• Rapid7 InsightIDR
• SenseOn Platform with EPP
• Sophos Intercept X Advanced
• Trellix Endpoint Security (ENS)
• VIPRE Endpoint Detection and Response
• VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard

Details:

• Bitdefender, Sophos, Cisco, and ESET all achieved exceptional scores, with Bitdefender delivering a flawless performance in both the Real-World Protection and Malware Protection tests.
• Kaspersky, Trellix, VIPRE, and G Data also maintained strong protection rates with no false alarms on critical business software.
• Avast, CrowdStrike, K7, and Microsoft demonstrated robust security features while maintaining a balance between protection and low system impact.
• Other top performers include Elastic, NetSecurity, Rapid7, SenseOn, and VMware, all of which delivered competitive results, meeting or exceeding the high standards required for certification.

Zero false positives

Across the board, these products ensured a high level of security for enterprise environments, with zero false positives on common business software. The tests were conducted under real-world conditions to reflect the cybersecurity challenges and demands faced by modern enterprises.

Peter Stelzhammer, co-founder of AV-Comparatives, "Our rigorous testing process highlights the high quality of enterprise security solutions available today. These products offer businesses both the strong protection they need and the performance they demand."